1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a convertible feed port assembly for mounting to a bird feeder housing. The feed port assembly includes a port opening therethrough, and a door rotatably mounted above the port opening and slidable horizontally to be supported within the housing, thus enabling large size bird feed to be accessible through the port opening. The slidably and rotatably mounted door includes a relatively small aperture for access to smaller size bird feed that can be stored within the housing, such as thistle, accessible by finches. Thus, the bird feeder can be operable in both a large seed and separate small seed or thistle mode by the relative positioning of the door.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commercially available bird feeders come in a great variety of configurations. These feeders generally include a housing for retaining the bird feed with a plurality of openings in the housing wall to provide access to the bird feed within the housing interior. Such bird feeders include bird feeder port assemblies that are mounted within the housing openings for access to bird feed within the housing. Such port assemblies may include a perch to enable a bird to have access to bird feed within the housing.
Bird feeders having bi-modal seed ports, whereby the seed port can be converted for dispensing large seeds from the feeder and, in another mode, allowing the feeder to dispense relatively small seeds, are known in the art. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,788, a bi-modal seed port for a bird feeder is disclosed wherein the seed port is connected to the housing wall and includes a hinged lid that pivots adjacent a trough located on the anterior surface of the housing. The trough is suitable for receiving relatively large seed. The hinged lid is pivotable to a position where the trough is open and bird feed within the housing flows into the trough. The hinged lid can pivot to a second position where the trough is covered and access to the seed is through a smaller aperture in the lid. However, when the lid is in this second position, the bird's access to the aperture is limited because the aperture may be partially blocked by the trough which is adjacent to the aperture. Because of the trough, the bi-modal design is compromised for smaller feed, such as thistle. Accordingly, a need exists for an effective convertible feed port assembly that is equally well-suited in a first mode for large birds and a second mode for smaller birds, such as finches.